6 Tips for Getting Your Side Business Off the Ground

In today’s economy it’s tough to rely solely on the income from your day job. That’s why so many people are now starting their own side businesses to help ramp up their income and financial stability.

As far as side businesses go you have a plethora of options. With hard work and determination you can turn your hobbies or skills into a secondary source of income.

If you’re ready to get started here are six tips for getting your side business off the ground.

Make a Plan

Once you pinpoint your side business idea you’ll need to come up with a plan for getting clients or making sales. Thanks to the internet researching the marketing aspect of your business has never been easier. Search for ways that you can find clients or market your business, and also rates that you should be charging.

The more ideas you have for finding clients the better your success rate will be.

When I first began working on my side business I used several methods to try and find clients. With time I could tell which of my efforts was producing the most results and then concentrated on those key areas. Experiment until you find what works for you.

Create a Schedule

Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as easy money. If you’re wanting to successfully pull in a second income you’re going to have to dedicate a good amount of time to getting your side business up and running.

Determine how much time you can contribute to your business each week and plan out a schedule. Carve out a block of time each day or each week to devote to your business. Without consistent work it’s unlikely that your new business will get very far off the ground.

When I first started my side business I would work on it for a few hours each night after I came home from work. When work started picking up, I increased the hours in which I worked.

Your schedule is not set in stone. Pick what works for you now and adjust your schedule as you see fit.

Set Goals

Once you have an idea of how you will promote your business you need to set goals.

Make realistic goals for each and every week. If your new business requires finding clients, set a goal to contact X amount of people per week. If your business requires selling a product set a sales goal for the week and the month.

I find that setting goals is the most powerful thing I can do for my side businesses. When I start to slack off on my goal setting I see a tremendous drop in not only my productivity, but my income as well.

Make Connections

I could have said network but for some reason I just don’t like that word. It almost sounds a bit sleazy to me.

However, I do have to say that a lot of the work I have received is from people who I have become friends with. When you start to communicate with others in your field a lot of doors will open up to you.

Don’t think of other people as your competition. What I’ve found is that those people doing the same type of work as I am, are more than willing to help me out whenever I have a question. In turn I am always happy to share my advice with someone new who is looking to start a side business similar to mine.

Work Hard

In the beginning you’re likely to hit a learning curve and have to work extra hard to get your new business off the ground. Trust me, it’s worth every bit of hard work you put in.

With time you start to develop a nice workflow and while you still have to put in hard work you’ll come up with a consistent schedule and things will come much easier to you.

When you start to get frustrated just remember that every successful person you know started at the bottom and you’ll have to do the same. If you put in hard work you’ll be able to prove yourself.

Be Realistic

It takes time and effort to start a successful side business. Realize that it will probably take at least a few months for you to pull in a decent amount of side income. Your success will correlate with the amount of time and effort you put in.

When you’re working for yourself you’re going to have good months and bad months. It’s important that you remain dedicated to your new side business even during those down months.

With a smart plan, good schedule, and consistent dedication you can start a successful side business.

What tips would you add to start your side business?

About Alexa Mason

Alexa Mason has written 192 articles on this site..

Alexa Mason is a freelance writer and wanna be internet entrepreneur. She is also a newly single mom to two beautiful little girls. She chronicles her journey as a single mom trying to make it big at www.singlemomsincome.com.